1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a multifunctional illumination device and a method for operating such a device.
2. Related Art of the Invention
For the purpose of improving safety in road traffic, in addition to conventional illumination equipment modern vehicles have additional sensor systems, which directly or indirectly support the vehicle driver and are intended for observing the surroundings of the vehicle, particularly with regard to the early detection of dangerous situations. These include, in particular, radar systems for detecting the range and relative speed of objects, or else night vision improvement systems that are based on the illumination of the road surroundings with infrared light. These systems are generally designed as independent systems and are integrated in a spatially separate fashion as additional components alongside illumination and signaling systems on the vehicle.
A compact design of ambient sensors and motor vehicle headlamps is described in document DE 196 32 252 A1. Described herein is a vehicle headlamp that has a housing in common with a sensor device. The headlamp is arranged in the housing downstream of a diffusion lens covering the light exit opening. The sensor device is also likewise arranged downstream of the same diffusion lens, the diffusion lens being specifically adapted in this region to the optical requirements of the sensor.
In a similar way, document DE 197 31 754 A1 shows a combination of a conventional motor vehicle headlamp with a distance sensor. Here, the sensor signals are directed via a mirror located in the headlamp such that it is possible to make common use of the optical and mechanical components for beam passage, beam shaping and beam deflection by headlamp and sensors.
In the case of these combined arrangements of headlamps and sensor devices, it is necessary to arrange the light source and sensor in a fashion clearly separate in space in order to avoid reciprocal influence. If, nevertheless, the aim is to implement a spatially compact design, this is possible only with the aid of delicate mirror arrangements that can also be severely damaged even in the event of trivial accidents of no importance occurring in road traffic.
A spatially compact integration of a photodetector of an optical distance measurement device in a headlamp is exhibited in JP 06-325296 A. The light source of the headlamp and the photodetectors are arranged in this case offset from one another downstream of a common lens such that the beam paths of the two sensors are separated from one another and therefore do not influence one another reciprocally. However, the compact, robust design results here in a restricted variability in the design of the possible beam paths.